Molecular characterization of ScTFIIA gamma, encoding the putative TFIIA small subunit from sugarcane

作者：Gentile Agustina; Da Cruz Pedro; Tavares Rafael G; Krug Baldacin Maria Graziela; Menossi Marcelo^*

来源：Plant Cell Reports, 2010, 29(8): 857-864.

DOI：10.1007/s00299-010-0871-3

• ScTFIIA gamma
• Sugarcane
• Transcription factor
• In situ hybridization
• GFP

Transcription mediated by RNA polymerase II depends on a set of different transcription factors to form the pre-initiation complex. TFIIA is involved in the construction of this complex and increases the affinity of TBP for the DNA union region in vitro. In this study, we characterized the ScTFIIA gamma gene, which encodes a homolog of the smaller subunit (gamma) of transcription factor TFIIA in sugarcane. RNA blot analysis showed that ScTFIIA gamma transcripts accumulate in all tissues evaluated, with higher levels in leaf roll and flowers. In situ hybridization showed that ScTFIIA gamma was expressed in different cells of the reproductive meristem. In sugarcane plantlets, methyl jasmonate and absicic acid treatments as well as phosphate starvation had no influence on ScTFIIA gamma transcript accumulation. The subcelullar localization assay demonstrates that ScTFIIA gamma protein is directed to the cell nucleus. The phylogenetic analysis, the expression in several tissues and under different treatments and the nuclear localization are in line with the putative role of ScTFIIA gamma as a subunit of basal transcription factor.